Alarm clock controlled pill dispensing device

ABSTRACT

An alarm clock controlled pill dispensing device comprises an alarm signal mechanism for producing a continuing alarm signal beginning every 24 hours from a settable time. Unless shut off manually, this signal continues constantly or intermittently for a set fraction of 24 hours. Manually operable signal shut-off means is so arranged that operating access thereto is blocked unless a pill is removed from a pill dispensing station.

United States Patent Redenbach [4 1 Mar. 28, 1972 541 ALARM CLOCKCONTROLLED PILL 51 int. Cl. .1365; 29/00 DISPENSING DEVICE [58] Field 01Search ..22l/3, 4, 7, 8, I5

[72] Inventor: Friedrich Redenbach, In den Moorackem 56] R n Ci d 3,Ludwj'gshafen', Gil-many UNITED STATES? TENT [22] Filed: Nov. 5, 1969 AS 3,395,829 8/1968 Cogdell et al ..221/15 [211 App]. No.: 874,286

Related U.S. Application Data jzg'z'g i g 'fg 'fl g mums [63]Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 851,178, Aug. 19,

1969, abandoned. [571 7 ABSTRACT v An alarm clock controlled pilldispensing device comprises an Foreign Appllcafiml Priority Data alarmsignal mechanism for producing a continuing alarm Aug. 28, 1968 Germany..P 17 73 569.2 Nov. 8, 1968 Germany ..P 18 07 802.9 Dec. 3, 1968Germany... ....P 18 12 343.8 Feb. 25, 1969 Germany ..P 19 09 237.6

U.S. Cl ..221/3, 221/4 signal beginning every 24 hours from a settabletime. Unless shut ofi manually, this signal continues constantly orintermittently for a set fraction of 24 hours. Manually operable signalshut-ofi means is so arranged that operating access thereto is blockedunless a pill is removed from a pill dispensing station.

7 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PHENTEnunnzs I972 3, 651 .984

sum 1 [1F 8 INVENTORI =Fmebmcu eva/54c BYI PATENIEDMARze i912 3, 651,984

SHEET 2 OF 8 Fig. A

lNVEN'i ()R:

renew Rena/om P'ATEMTEDms I972 8,651,984

sum 3 0F 8 Fig.6

Hill

Ill,

INVIiN'IURi manual (knew/w IWI i zan- ALARM CLOCK CONTROLLED PILLDISPENSING DEVICE A device of this type is disclosed and claimed in mycopending application Ser. No. 851,178, filed Aug. 19, 1969, and nowabandoned, of which this is a continuation-in-part.

The present invention relates to an alarm clock device of the type whichemits warning signals over a given period of time every 24 hours, andmay be used in conjunction with receptacles for storing and dispensingbirth control pills so as to alert the user to take each pill on time.

A device of this type is disclosed and claimed in my copendingapplication Ser. No. 851,178, filed Aug. 19, 1969, and now abandoned, ofwhich this is a continuation in-part. As therein described, the alarmclock device has a clockwork and a dial face, and comprises an alarmsignal mechanism settable to produce an alarm signal every 24 hours andmanually operable means for shutting off the warning signal. A shaftmaking one full rotation in an integral multiple, preferably 28, of 24hours carries a first indicator disc with an indicator of all theintegers of the multiple, i.e., the numbers I to 28, and a secondindicator disc with an indicator of the days of the week. The shaft mayalso carry a pill dispensing drum for dispensing one pill a day duringthe indicated days of the menstrual cycle. The warning signal may beshut off only after a pill has been removed either from the dispensingdrum or a pill storage receptacle mounted on the housing of the deviceover the manually operable means.

It is an object of the present invention to improve such a device byusing commercially available, electrically or springoperated alarmclocks with a 24-hour alarm system and to modify the same so that thealarm signal will last acoustically or visibly for 12 hours from thetime set for taking the pill each day. The warning signal can be shutoff only by access through the pill storage receptacle and/or the pilldispensing chamber. Thus, the invention provides a warning signalcontrol or indicator means for producing a warning signal for a fractionof 24 hours, i.e., 12 hours.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of now preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. 1 is a front view of an alarmclock device according to one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the device, with the pill box cover removed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view a signal actuating mechanism for the alarmclock device;

FIG. 4 is a top view of another embodiment of an alarm clock device,with the cover removed;

FIG. Sis a section ofFIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the alarm clock device;

FIG. 7 illustrates an optical warning signal mechanism;

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of a modified electrical alarm clockdevice with a pill box, an optical warning signal mechanism, theactuating or triggering mechanism for the acoustical signal emitter, andthe gear train for the cycle indicator;

FIG. 9 is a front view ofsuch an alarm clock device;

FIG. 10 is a front view of another type of alarm clock device;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are sections of the monthly cycle indicator mechanism;

FIG. 13 is a front view of a spring-actuated alarm clock device;

FIG. 14 is a similar view, with the cover removed;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of an actuating or triggering mechanism;

FIG. 16 shows another embodiment of a monthly cycle indicator mechanism;and

FIG. 17 is a partial elevational view of another embodiment.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrates a conventionalalarm clock slightly modified according to the present invention. Suchan alarm clock has an alarm control wheel 43 mounted on the axle of theclockwork, which wheel defines an arcuate slot 42 which is engagedduring the alarm signaling period by the nose 44 on trigger wheel 45rotating with the clockwork axle once every 24 hours. When the nose 44is brought into engagement with slot 42, it takes along the alarmcontrol wheel 43 to cause an alarm signal to be emitted in a knownmanner. This conventional mechanism is modified according to thisinvention by extending the length of arcuate slot 42 from the usual 2hours to an effectiveness of 12 hours.

Also, the shut off lever 14' for this alarm control mechanism extendsthrough a slot 66 in the bottom wall of a pill box 24 which is mountedin any suitable manner on a side wall of the alarm clock housing, thepill box being closed by a hinged cover and, if desired, locked. In thismanner, the shut-off lever.

is accessible only after the box has been opened to remove a pilltherefrom, after which the lever may be actuated to discontinue thealarm signal.

In the alarm clock device of FIGS. 4 to 7, a carrier plate in the clockhousing supports the clockwork, the clock hands, a day and nightindicator mechanism, the dial illumination, the modified alarm signalcontrol mechanism of an otherwise conventional electrical alarm clockwith an automatic 24-hour alarm system, and the a drum storagereceptacle, the arrangement being such that the alarm signal shut-offlever 46 is mounted between the clockwork and the storage receptacle.

The top of the clock housing carries the pill box 24 wherein packages ofbirth control pills may be stored. The actuating knobs are mounted onthe rear wall of the housing. The alarm signal duration is brought to 12hours in the manner discussed in connection with FIGS. 1 to 3. Thesignal trigger wheel 45 drives a cam wheel which rotates once around itsaxis every 24 hours and operates a lever 92 which actuates a visual dayand night indicator 91.

The shut-off lever 46 has one extension 47 projecting through or towardsa slot 49 in the bottom wall of pill box 24 while another extension 48of the lever 46 projects from the opposite end thereof into the pillremoval chamber of the drum receptacle which is defined by arcuate chute50. In this manner, the shut-off lever may be operated either throughthe opened pill box or from the pill removal chamber, i.e., after a pillhas been removed.

A set of exchangeable pill boxes may be provided for cooperation withthe alarm clock device, individual boxes being so dimensioned as toreceive pill packages of a given shape or form in such a manner that thepackages cover the shut-off lever and including a box adapted to receivepackages of the largest dimension and including inserts for supportingpill packages. Each pill box has a cover and may be locked, the bottomof each box being apertured to receive the extension of the shut-offlever. The pill boxes are preferably of plastic or any other suitablematerial which may be readily mounted on the clock housing by bonding,bolting, screwing or otherwise. If no pill box is used at all, thehousing opening to which the extension 47 projects may be closed by aplate.

A drum receptacle for dispensing a supply of pills for a 28- daymenstrual cycle is mounted in the housing. It is keyed to shaft 41 whichfully rotates once every 28 days, being driven by the clockwork througha suitable gear train more fully described in my copending applicationSer. No. 851,178, filed Aug. 19, 1969. During the period when the birthcontrol pills are to be taken, the receptacle dispenses a pill each dayinto the pill removal chamber defined by chute 50, a window 51 beingprovided in pivotal lid 18 which may be opened to remove the pill fromthe chamber.

The drum receptacle comprises two cooperating circular portions 25 and30, the cover portion 30 fitting over bottom portion 25 and the twoportions being connected by threaded hub 31 for rotational movement inrespect to each other.'

Radially extending dividing walls within bottom portion 25 divide thesame into 28 like compartments 32 which are circumferentially open. Thecompartments are labeled with'the numbers of the days of the menstrualcycle, indicating the days when a pill has to be taken and the days whenno pill is to be taken. The bottom portion of the pill dispensing drumcarries a smaller dial 36 which has an annular indicator showing, inabbreviation, the names of the days of the week four times. The drumcover portion covers the open side of the pill compartments 32 and hasone circumferentially arranged pill removal slot with a lid which isopened after the pill dispensing drum has been positioned in the device.Two retaining lugs 34, 34 cooperate with the pins 35, 35 in the pilldispensing chamber. A cover 11 with a window 37 is placed over the pilldispensing drum, .the indicators on the drum being visible throughwindow 37 so that the day of the cycle and the corresponding day of theweek may be read. The circumference of the drum portion 25 meshes withthe driving pinion 52 which is part of the gear train operating thedispensing drum.

The alarm clock device of the present invention may be operated with orwithout a pill storage box, as well as with or without a pill dispensingdrum. If the latter is omitted, a pill may be removed, when required,from the storage box and, in this case, the invention provides merely acycle day indicator consisting of toothed dial 53 and day-of-the-weekindicator dial 36 mounted on shaft 41, a spacer being inserted on theshaft where the drum is otherwise mounted.

As best seen in FIG. 7, the optical alarm signaling mechanism comprisesa constantly burning lamp 22 which is mounted behind an opening 54 (seeFIG. 9) in the dial of the clock. When an alarm signal is to be visuallyconveyed, the lamp is covered by a transparent red disc 55 so as toproduce a red warning light. The disc 55 is mounted at the end of thelong arm of control lever 56 which is pivotal on shaft 57 and isretained by lug 58 on the shorter control ever arm engaging the buzzerlever 59. Twelve hours before the pill is to be taken, the warningtrigger wheel causes the clutch 60 to lift the buzzer arm 59 and thusreleases the nose 61 of the springbiases shut-off lever 46. At thebeginning of the pill taking period, the clutch 60 releases the buzzerlever 59 again, disengaging the Mg 58 and releasing the spring-biasedcontrol lever 56. After the pill is taken, the extension 47 or 48 of theshutoff lever 46 is manually operated to move the control lever 56 backinto its inoperative position by engaging it with pin 62.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 8 to 12, the same type of conventional alarmclock with an alarm system effective every 24 hours is modified with a12-hour acoustical warning signal, a pill storagebox 24, an opticalwarning signal, a cycle indicator 53 and a day indicator 36, as in theabove-described embodiments, but with the following variations.

The control lever 56 carries at one end a transparent red disc 55 and atransparent green disc 65 to over constantly burning lamp 22 or, ifdesired, no such lamp need be provided and the lever may carry a red anda green light. At the beginning of the period for taking the pill, thered light appears behind aperture 54 and remains there even after the12- hour acoustical warning signal period has expired unless theshut-off lever 46 has meanwhile been operated to return the controllever 56 into the position where the green light appears behind aperture54.

The cycle indicator dial 53 and the day-of-the-week indicator dial 36are mounted by a slip clutch .on an axle which rotates about its axisonce in 28 days. If arranged on top of the clock dial, the indicatordials are completely visible; if behind the clock dial, they arepartially visible through window 37. The indicator dials are set eitherdirectly by knobs 63 and 64 or indirectly by spring-biased pinions.Preferably, the adjusting knobs for the dials are positioned behind thecrystal of the clock so that an unintentioned adjustment of the dials isavoided.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate an alarm clock device with a spring-operatedclockwork. The helical spring of the alarm signal mechanism is wound upand the optical warning signal control lever is moved in the followingmanner.

The optical signal control lever 66 carries at one end two differentlycolored discs 68 which selectively appear behind an aperture 69 in thedial face of the clock, depending on the pivotal position of lever 66.The helical spring 67 of the alarm signal. mechanism increases indiameter when its tension is released to move the lever 66 in onedirection, and a return spring pivots the lever in the oppositedirection. To assure winding of the helical spring 67 and thecorresponding operation of the device according to the invention, thelock of the pill storage box is coupled to a winding mechanism so thatthe box may be opened to remove a pill therefrom only when the helicalspring is wound up.

Thus, the helical clockwork operating spring 71 increases in diameterwhen its tension is released to move the actuating lever in onedirection, and a return spring pivots the actuating lever in theopposite direction. The actuating lever 70 has an end hook 72 whoselength corresponds to the pivoting stroke of the lever and which isarranged to engage a keeper 73 on the inside of the pill box cover 15.

Since it is practically impossible to provide spring-operated clockswith a l2-hour acoustical warning signal, the latter is replaced by anoptical warning signal. The alarm signal triggering wheel 45', whichmakes one full rotation in 24 hours, is mounted visibly behind aperturein the clock dial face. The wheel 45 carries two semicircular annularindicators 9, 9 of different colors or appearance, each indicatorcorresponding to a given after-period for taking a pill and a period inwhich no pill is to be taken. The superposed pointer 74 is set for agiven hour of alarm and indicates one or the other period for taking ornot.taking the pill.

FIG. 15 illustrates the control mechanism for an acoustical signal of anelectrically operated alarm clock and takes into account the possibilityof birth control preparations permitting different makeup times fortaking the preparation if it has not been taken during the requiredperiod. In this embodiment, the acoustical signaling time may beadjusted.

The acoustical signal control mechanism comprises two superposed alarmsignal setting discs 77 and 78 which may be turned in relation to eachother by setting pinions and 76. The discs define elongated arcuateslots 79 and 80, respectively, wherein moves the nose 81 of the signalcontrol wheel 45" during the warning signaling period, the control wheelrotating about its axis once in 24 hours. The disc 77 and 78 areretained in the set position by a resilient lock ring 82 and a ratchet83. Two differently colored or appearing pointers 84 and 85 indicate theset signaling period, the pointers being coupled by axially extendingtubes to the respective discs 77 and 78.

FIG. 16 shows an indicator mechanism for the day of the cycle whichtakes into account preparations which must be taken 20, 21 and 22 days,respectively. The indicator dial 53 carries the numbers 21 and 22 in amanner distinguishing the same from numbers 1 to 20 and 23 to 28. Thepin 86 on the warning signal triggering wheel 45, which turns once every24 hours, moves the indicator dial 53, which has 28 teeth orindentations around its periphery, once a day, the day-of-the weekindicator dial 36 being mounted on dial 53 and being moved therewith.The dials are then retained in position by suitable stops 87 ofhemispherical shape.

In the embodiment of FIG. 17, the alarm clock device is mounted in anouter casing 88. The indicator dials 53 and 36 project through a slit ina side wall 93 to expose a circumferential portion thereof. A leafspring element 89 is fixed to the casing 88 and carries a pin 94 at itsfree end to retain the dayof-the-week indicator dial 36 so that thecycle indication may be set.

What is claimed is:

1. An alarm clock device with a clockwork and dial face, comprising analarm signal mechanism settable to produce an alarm signal every 24hours, a signal control means for producing a warning signal for afraction of the 24 hours, manually operable means for shutting off thewarning signal, a shaft making one full rotation in an integral multipleof 24 hours, a first indicator disc on said shaft carrying an indicatorof all the integers of said multiple, and a second indicator disc onsaid shaft carrying an indicator of the days of the week, said signalcontrol means comprising an alarm signal setting wheel defining anelongated arcuate slot, a signal triggering wheel rotating about itsaxis once in 24 hours, and a nose on said signal triggering wheel inengagement with said slot during the warning signal period, said slotbeing long enough to engage the nose for 12 hours.

2. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 1 further comprising ahousing having a wall with an aperture, a pill storage receptaclemounted on the housing wall, the receptacle having a wall with anaperture in registry with the aperture in the housing wall, saidmanually operable means including a shutoff lever extending towards theapertures and manually operable therethrough, and a pill dispensing drummounted on said shaft within said housing, the shaft being rotated bysaid clockwork, and a pill removal chamber being defined inside saidhousing adjacent the pill dispensing drum, an opposite end of theshut-off lever extending into said pill removal chamber and beingmanually operable from said chamber.

3. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 1 wherein said multiple is28 whereby the device may be used as an alarm for regularly taking birthcontrol pills in a menstrual cycle, the indicator on the first indicatordisc carrying the numbers 1 to 28, the indicator on the second indicatordisc carrying the days of the weeks in four successive segments, saiddiscs being rotatable with respect to each other, means for rotating thediscs with respect to each other to set them in a desired relationship,window means for making at least portions of the indicators visible, ahousing having a wall with a slit, circumferential portions of saidindicator discs projecting through the slit, and means for temporarilyretaining one of the discs when the indicator discs are set.

4. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 1 further comprising ahousing having a'wall with an aperture, said manually operable meansincluding a shut-off lever extending towards the aperture and manuallyoperable therethrough, and a removable closure plate over the aperture.

5. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 1 wherein the signalindicator means is an optical signal visible through a window in thedial face of the clock device, said indicator means including aspring-biased lever carrying said optical signal, the lever having meansfor moving it into a selected position wherein the signal is visible andfor being moved into a position wherein the signal is not visible by themanually operable means.

6. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 1 wherein the signalindicator means is an optical signal visible through a window in thedial face of the clock device, said indicator means including aspring-biased lever carrying said optical signal, the lever beingmovable in a direction opposite its spring operating the alarm signal.

7. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 6, further comprising ahelical spring operating the clockwork, a receptacle with a hinged covermounted on said device, the cover having an inwardly projecting keeper,a spring-biased locking lever movable in a direction opposite its springbias by unwinding of the helical clockwork spring, and a locking hook onsaid lever for engagement with the keeper.

1. An alarm clock device with a clockwork and dial face, comprising analarm signal mechanism settable to produce an alarm signal every 24hours, a signal control means for producing a warning signal for afraction of the 24 hours, manually operable means for shutting off thewarning signal, a shaft making one full rotation in an integral multipleof 24 hours, a first indicator disc on said shaft carrying an indicatorof all the integers of said multiple, and a second indicator disc onsaid shaft carrying an indicator of the days of the week, said signalcontrol means comprising an alarm signal setting wheel defining anelongated arcuate slot, a signal triggering wheel rotating about itsaxis once in 24 hours, and a nose on said signal triggering wheel inengagement with said slot during the warning signal period, said slotbeing long enough to engage the nose for 12 hours.
 2. The alarm clockdevice as defined in claim 1 further comprising a housing having a wallwith an aperture, a pill storage receptacle mounted on the housing wall,the receptacle having a wall with an aperture in registry with theaperture in the housing wall, said manually operable means including ashut-off lever extending towards the apertures and manually operabletherethrough, and a pill dispensing drum mounted on said shaft withinsaid housing, the shaft being rotated by said clockwork, and a pillremoval chamber being defined inside said housing adjacent the pilldispensing drum, an opposite end of the shut-off lever extending intosaid pill removal chamber and being manually operable from said chamber.3. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 1 wherein said multiple is28 whereby the device may be used as an alarm for regularly taking birthcontrol pills in a menstrual cycle, the indicator on the first indicatordisc carrying the numbers 1 to 28, the indicator on the second indicatordisc carrying the days of the weeks in four successive segments, saiddiscs being rotatable with respect to each other, means for rotating thediscs with respect to each other to set them in a desired relationship,window means for making at least portions of the indicators visible, ahousing having a wall with a slit, circumferential portions of saidindicator discs projecting through the slit, and means for temporarilyretaining one of the discs when the indicator discs are set.
 4. Thealarm clock device as defined in claim 1 further comprising a housinghaving a wall with an aperture, said manually operable means including ashut-off lever extending towards the aperture and manually oparabletherethrough, and a removable closure plate over the aperture.
 5. Thealarm clock device as Defined in claim 1 wherein the signal indicatormeans is an optical signal visible through a window in the dial face ofthe clock device, said indicator means including a spring-biased levercarrying said optical signal, the lever having means for moving it intoa selected position wherein the signal is visible and for being movedinto a position wherein the signal is not visible by the manuallyoperable means.
 6. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 1 whereinthe signal indicator means is an optical signal visible through a windowin the dial face of the clock device, said indicator means including aspring-biassed lever carrying said optical signal, the lever beingmovable in a direction opposite its spring operating the alarm signal.7. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 6, further comprising ahelical spring operating the clockwork, a receptacle with a hinged covermounted on said device, the cover having an inwardly projecting keeper,a spring-biased locking lever movable in a direction opposite its springbias by unwinding of the helical clockwork spring, and a locking hook onsaid lever for engagement with the keeper.